Roosting ChooksIt wasn’t that long ago that John Howard was the great Conservative leader who wanted to remake Australia in his own image, defending the monarchy, beating up gay mums and attacking the ABC.

F E A T U R E S

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Unions: State of the UnionUnions NSW secretary John Robertson unveils the annual survey of attitudes of workers to their jobs, thier lives and the union.

Bosses Back Gaol for Cowboys

Nine out of ten NSW employers back the gaoling of bosses who "deliberately and recklessly put their employees’ lives at risk", according to a NSW Chamber of Commerce survey.

The finding was welcomed by Commerce Minister John Della Bosca and echoed union calls to gaol killer bosses.

"Workplace safety is not just a union issue," says Andrew Ferguson from the CFMEU. "Safety is everybody's issue, and the sooner Government, unions and employers work together to crack down on the handful of rogues who cut corners with safety, the sooner we will see a marked drop in the number of deaths and injuries at work."

Della Bosca says employers have consistently told him they want "cowboys" gaoled if workers are killed.

"I will continue consulting to ensure we develop laws that target the irresponsible rogues, which is what the entire community wants us to do," Della Bosca said.

The State Chamber of Commerce polled 245 businesses in Sydney and across regional NSW.

Following recommendations from a panel of eminent barristers, a draft Bill was released for public consultation in October last year. The Bill contains no new duties for employers and no new offences; however, concerns have been raised about some aspects of the draft.

The Minister has given assurances it will not be introduced in its current form.